Fine Again
by ChuroOwl
Summary: Double D is now in college, but with the workload he's giving himself he goes into a downward spiral and turns to the bottle for comfort. one night at a bar Kevin finds him drunk and decides to help him reintroducing himself into the nerd's life and into possibly something deeper. Is it enough to help him or will Edd let his problems break him.
1. Strange reunion

-* This story is gonna be KevEdd! I liked the concept of a not so perfect Edd and a more mature Kevin. Enjoy and review! *

Everyone has a breaking point, for some it takes longer to break them. Eddward Vincent was no exception. After months of no free time, a lack of sleep and isolation from the world because of college he'd literally drowned himself in his studies. He was the perfect student, the A was expected of him. He didn't want to make excuses ever, but was this really an excuse?

He'd finally had enough and felt himself emotionally fail inside. It was the reason he was currently at a bar in hopes that something would get rid of the horrible things going on in his head. Usually he'd turn alcohol away and not want to jeopardize his study time. But tonight like so many other nights lately he couldn't find it in him to care. By the fifth shot the bartender quickly caught on.

"What's got you so down in the dumps?" She asked while pouring another shot of the stinging liquid. "School is eating me alive..." he said a mild slur in his voice. "College?" She asked laughing. "Harvard..." he couldn't believe how much work he had left to do, but he did it to himself. He decided that being a law student was is best course of action, or at least he thought that at the time. He kept taking on extra work and that he couldn't help doing this to himself. "Wow... that's impressive!" The bartender said giggling. "Thanks..." he said sheepishly. It was like his head wanted to explode and his best chance of surviving was with alcohol and a prayer to whatever God that exists in the universe. He knew he was doing it to himself, probably will again. He wondered how long until he was gonna back in this situation again. He'd picked up a very bad habit.

-one hour later-

After a good total of 14 shots later Edd was feeling so much more relaxed, or drunk. At this point he couldn't tell. He'd pretty achieved his goal, he couldn't feel anything at this moment and that was good, right? His nerves were dodgey at best and his toes were moving in the padding of his shoes. Nothing could pull him out of this weird bliss that he currently created.

"Double dork! Is that you!? " Edd knew that voice but he couldn't find the face in his head, he turned to see a muscular red head in a T-shirt and jeans. Who was this again? Devin? Korvin? Kewven? It was literally staring him in the face. However all that came out of him was a slurry "yo!" Since when did he say that? He felt himself start giggling. "Edd are you doing okay" the redhead tilted his head in confusion. "I'm a okay Korbin!" Edd smiled with a dazed face.

"Kevin" he corrected and Edd blushed. "Sorry Kevin! I'm not braining properly! So much going on at the moment." Edd was slurring badly at this point. "Oh Christ you're hammered man..." Kevin Barr had come here with his best friend Nathan Goldberg who was in the bathroom currently. Both went to high school and now college together and were keeping each other afloat through the hells of college. They were celebrating another great success on their midterms for that year. They were reminiscing of the younger years of their lives when he spotted the smartest ed across the bar. He and Edd were on good terms after he bullied the poor guy mercilessly until high school. They made amend and became friends and he knew him pretty well. They lost touch after awhile and decided that now was perfect to put himself back in the picture. So he told Nathan to meet him by the bar, unfortunately he guessed it was a lucky thing because the usually put together Edd was beyond stable at this point.

"Okay you're cut off for tonight..." Kevin said already helping the stumbling Edd off of the bar stool. Kevin quickly dailed Nathan and led Edd outside. "Nat turns out Edd is going through a crisis of some sort and is completely trashed, meet me at the car..." he sat the nerd on the curb. In front of his own SUV and sat next to him.

Nathan came out of the bar with a look of confusion and amusement all at once. "Is he cool man?" Nathan asked while Kevin got up to open the door. "He called me Korbin and said he wasn't braining properly... and when have you ever heard him say " yo! " dude?" Kevin didn't know why he was so worried. "That doesn't sound like our Double D..." Nathan said with a brow raised.

They both helped him into the car, and pulled out of the bar parking lot. Before they got to far Edd fell asleep, he couldn't help it because the lack of sleep finally got to him. Kevin looked at him through the rear-view mirror and frowned, he knew that he couldn't bring him home to his own place. So Kevin had to settle for his apartment. On the way he dropped off Nathan at his house and gave him a farewell.

When Kevin got to his apartment he had to accomplish the task of getting Edd inside and to the third floor. He decided to wake him up to try and initiate a piggy back ride, the easiest way, to get him inside. Edd lightly slurred but did manage to grab onto him properly enough to not send the two on the crash course into the ground. When he entered his neighbors who were getting mail looked at him in disbelief. "Don't worry about it just get your freaking mail!" Kevin hated people who didn't mind their own business in his apartment. He made it to the elevator and used his hand for a quick second to hit the button for his floor.

He sighed and waited for the slow piece of crap to reach his floor. He carried Edd to his door and took the key out of his pocket, opening the door before he almost dropped the person on his back. Kevin sat him on the couch and shut his apartment door. He locked it because he didn't trust anyone there. After that he grabbed a couple of extra blankets from his room and, after laying Edd down, he draped them over the sleeping Edd. It was Friday so he and, if he was correct, Edd didn't have classes the next day.

He wondered why the geek in front of him drank until he was no longer himself? He knew he wanted to reconnect with him. Kevin sat the kitchen table and decided that he was just gonna eat some leftovers from the night before. He had a ton of questions about the current situation. But he knew that they wouldn't be answered right at that current moment.

After a few hours of just watching the sleeping body on his couch Kevin got ready for bed. it was hard for him to go to sleep, he couldn't put together what was up with Edd. Even in high school he's never seen the guy drunk, let alone past the point of even forming words. This was a new sight for Kevin if he didn't know what to do, it made him feel so different. It had been three years since he'd even seen his old high school friend. There was no doubt that both have changed, Kevin wasn't as wild as he was in high school. He did occasionally go to parties and drink , but he never got out of hand. It was a rare sight to see Kevin drunk nowadays. He never expected the roles to be reversed between him and the sweet sleeping nerd in his living room.

Kevin just decided that he was going to figure this all out in the morning, when him and Edd we're both awake and sober. After a while he finally got to sleep, questions going with him to Dreamland.

-* I hope you guys did enjoy this and that you want more from the story, I really will the awaiting all the reviews you have to offer! Thank you!*


	2. Morning hangover

.* Edd is in for some questions!*

Edd woke up blinking , his eyes tightly shutting in regret. Where he was, it wasn't home and he knew it. The place felt different, Edd reluctantly opened his eyes and saw water and two Advil on the coffee table in front of him. He readily took it and sat up, he looked around and realized that this place wasn't familiar at all.

"Oh you're finally back from the dead?" A male voice came from behind him. A very amused looking redhead man in pajama pants stared at him. Edd now sober didn't take long to recognize him. "Kevin!?" Edd was in shock, then that turned into embarrassment. Kevin probably ran into him at the bar, and if the current situation was any indicator of last night... Well let's just say the night probably wasn't kind to either of them. "Last night you called me Korbin.." Kevin chuckled while walking to sit with him. "Dammit I did it again!" He whined hiding his face. "What?" Kevin asked with a raised eyebrow "Get drunk until you could barely speak or call someone Korbin?" Kevin was sarcastic.

"I have developed a problem... I will probably end up there again..." He murmurs, he was furious with himself. "What?" Kevin now looked at him in concern. "Oh Kevin... I should thank you for bringing me here last night... But my issues with myself shouldn't concern you..." Edd was ashamed, he'd rather not have Kevin involved with him and his issues right now.

"It does when you put yourself in jeopardy like that... I had to carry you up to my apartment after you passed out in my car..." He had a dark look, he was angry. "I'm sorry, I won't run into you while I'm like that again..." Edd didn't know if he could stay away from the bar right now. "I thought you were supposed to be smart..." Kevin said blowing a chunk of hair out of his own face. Edd gaped at him, Kevin was beyond different from before. He looked mature, and cleaned up. Edd looked at him closer, he was really attractive actually. He mentally slapped himself, wrong time for that Edd!

"Not recently..." Edd said, headache building as he began to finally feel more emotions. He brought his hand to his face to try and quell it. "I can see that..." Kevin was worried and Edd could hear it. "Please don't worry about me... it's just me being too stubborn and suffering because of my own decisions... I have been known to do that..." Edd wanted to conquer the demons when was good and ready. "You know I'm not very far from your school... I can be here when you need me..." Kevin got up "Do you want something to eat?" He sounded beyond worried at this point.

"I wouldn't turn it down actually... Thanks..." Edd said finally looking his old friend in the eyes. "You're gonna start talking me again... Because I can't let you have nobody to turn to and force yourself to that point again..." Kevin said grabbing something from the fridge, it was eggs. "I guess talking to someone else other than my textbooks would be a little bit more entertaining..." Edd gave an empty chuckle. "Edd... What you're doing isn't healthy... And you know it..." Kevin grabbed a pan "How do you take your eggs?" He sounded like a scolding father, Edd thought he'd never see the day. "Yes I am aware.. And I will take them scrambled thank you..." He wasn't used to Kevin being the one who takes care of people, especially him.

"Then why do you do it?" Kevin asked while cracking two eggs into the pan and moving them around with the spatula. "To be honest... it's better than the other options that started to come to my head..." Edd knew there was no point in lying, Kevin was gonna be there weather he liked the idea or not. "Jesus Christ..." Kevin sighed "That wasn't what I was expecting to hear, especially from you..." He dished the eggs and looked at him. "Why lie... I can see that you're worried and I know you're not letting me off easy... I just didn't expect it to be you scolding me..." Edd chuckled again, it had more genuineness this time. "I've been there, done that and got into some deep shit back then... I cleaned up my act... And now I'm gonna help you clean yours..." Kevin put two more eggs in the pan, then some bread into the toaster.

Kevin grabbed something from the table, it was a box of something. "You mind if I smoke?" He asked putting the box on the counter next to him as he put butter on the toast and put it on Edd's plate. "It's your home, do as you please..." Edd said getting up from couch and walking to the kitchen, sitting at the table. "Just asking..." Kevin said and put Edd's plate on the table. Popping more bread into the toaster and putting his own eggs on a plate, kevin then took a cigarette out of the box with a lighter. He put it in his mouth and lit it, moving the box to the top of the fridge. A trail of smoke was following him now. Edd started timidly eating his food, and Kevin finished prepping his.

"Never thought of you as someone who drank..." Kevin said grabbing his own food and sitting down. He took a drag of his cigarette and blew the smoke away from Edd. "I did too... Until I began to work myself into the ground..." He glared at his plate. "Jesus how far gone are you..." Kevin took another drag. "It was either that or something stupider..." Edd said finishing his food. "Define stupider, because drinking however much you did last night isn't smart either..." Edd looked at him mouth agape. Did he really want to tell him about that?

"I don't think you'd want to hear it..." Edd stared at his hands awkwardl. "Try me..." Kevin said with a stern and unimpressed look. He sighed looking into Kevin's intimidating blue eyes "I was gonna end up dead, because I wanted to die..." He didn't want to share that, but Kevin deserves to be better informed because he was now technically a witness to a long and ongoing problem. "Okay... well you're not leaving my sight for a bit... because what the actual fuck Edd..." Kevin took another drag and breathed through his nose. Edd knew Kevin was either really pissed off, or very upset. He didn't want him to be either of those things.

"Where's your cellphone?" Kevin asked looking him in the eyes with a penetrating stare. Edd pulled it out of his jeans to let him see it. Kevin took out his own, and exchanged numbers with Edd. "I'll be checking up on you pretty often now because there is no way in actual hell that I will let you walk out of here and forget this after you telling me that..." great, now Edd had a babysitter and he wasn't a happy one.

.*What will happen between these to next?*


	3. FINALLY getting to know each other

.*chapter 3! let's just get into it!*

Edd was currently walking into his own apartment, with Kevin in tow. "You really don't have to do this..." Edd said stubbornly, trying to convince the redhead that he didn't need to be watched. "Just open the door... we're here to get your shit because I am not leaving you alone this weekend to drink yourself to death..." Kevin said crossing his arms, his jeans jacket bunching at the action. Edd sighed, he really didn't want Kevin to see the current state of his apartment.

He opened it and he heard a "What the fuck?" from Kevin. There were papers on his couch and empty bottles of alcohol littered on the counter, table, and coffee table. The place was still clean, but it showed a problem... A huge one...

"You're worse off than I thought..." Kevin said walking to the counter and began throwing away the bottles, even the ones still full. "I'm gonna go grab my stuff..." Edd said stiffly. He didn't want someone he'd been close to seeing this side of him, the drinking problem was enough to deal with. "How long?" He heard Kevin ask from the doorway several minutes later. "A year..." Edd couldn't hide right now, he saw the truth. "And how often is it?" Kevin now stood beside him. "Like I don't know... Every other night... I do study too..." He flushed in embarrassment. "So all you do is drink and study? Do you even freaking sleep?" Kevin was staring him in the eyes again. "Not lately... Last night was first time I've slept in 5 or 6 days..." Edd finished packing his stuff and walked out of his room. He saw that every bottle was gone and his stuff was straightened.

"Dude..." Kevin now sounded absolutely crestfallen. "I'm having my issues... they don't last forever..." Edd said now walking out of his apartment. Kevin followed him with a frown, he pursed his lips into a thin line. "Why are you so fucking stubborn!?" He asked Edd with a glare. "Because! I don't want you to be apart of his!" Edd was now shouting. "Well too fucking bad Edd! You don't expect me to fucking worry after what you said and what I saw!? It's like you have no regard for yourself at all!" Kevin and him stopped in front of the car and glared eye too eye.

"I'm absolutely mortified Kevin! You saw me at the bar! You saw it in my home! You're asking so many questions! It's beyond personal regard! I literally feel like I'm under a fucking microscope!" Edd wasn't known for get anywhere near aggressive. "That was your own doing..." Kevin said eyes darkening in anger. "Well stop on the way so I can jump off the bridge because I am not letting you see me like this!" He felt tears start to well, he didn't want to cry in front of Kevin. "Why do you have to say shit like that..." the anger now faded and fear replaced it in Kevin's gaze.

"Because I can't stop!" the tears started flowing. Kevin lunged forward and did the only thing he could think of, he hugged him. Edd broke, dropping with Kevin to the ground and clinging to the only source of contact he's received in over 2 years. Edd didn't have anyone right now...

Eddy and Ed were across the country and only visited family. They only called Edd, nobody has been here to tell him it's okay and that he's not this. So Kevin stepping in was beyond his comfort zone.

"Day in and day out I'm plagued with those thoughts... I can't stop thinking about it... Every day it's there... I've been alone for 2 years! I'm trying to pick up myself but I can't! That's the only thing I had for comfort and if I didn't drink it'd be a pretty obvious thing of what I'd do..." Edd venting like this... It felt better, and someone was listening. "Then please... let me help you..." Kevin said, his voice was quiet. Edd looked up at Kevin, his eyes were closed but the shine of one single tear stood out. "I..." Edd said unable to speak, he'd never seen Kevin actually cry before.

"Please... I should never have lost contact with you... I want to be here now..." Kevin said opening his eyes, they showed genuine caringness for Edd. "Fine... I'll let you in..." Edd said and after a minute of sitting there he started trying to move away, only to be hugged harder. "We should get off the ground... it's starting to rain..." Edd said feeling him loosen the hug and stand. Kevin helped up Edd and they got in the car and just sat there for a minute. Kevin rubbed his face and ran both hands through his hair, starting the car.

"Kevin..." Edd said in a voice laced with sorrow. "Yeah..." Kevin said starting to drive. "I'm sorry for my actions... I wish I hadn't made you cry..." Edd looked at him with guilt and gratitude. "That was a pretty heavy conversation Edd... but I just want to finally have a interaction with you that isn't like this... I want you to finally feel something other than... That..." Kevin sighed. "Any suggestions on something to do together?" Edd sighed as well, feeling a little of the weight off his shoulders. Kevin looked at him in surprise and started to genuinely smile. "You got any interest in movies? Maybe concerts? Some bands are in town... Or something..." Kevin said trying to contain the huge wave of relief. FINALLY some progress with Edd.

"A concert doesn't sound half bad... and if you wish I'll stick with water..." Edd let a tiny smile appear on his face. "Any interests in music?" Kevin said as his apartment finally came into view. "Yeah... Do you appreciate metal?" He asked Kevin who as he parked looked at him in confusion. "Metal?" Kevin was definitely not expecting that answer. "Yes... Metal... Do you like it?" Edd asked shifting in his seat to completely face him. "Yeah I like metal..." Kevin said starting to chuckle. "What's so funny?" Edd asked raising a brow. Kevin tried at a joke to lighten the mood, and it instantly worked.

"That's definitely where you got the ability to yell like that earlier..." Kevin said smirking and Edd's jaw dropped. The joke made Edd completely let loose in his presence and finally let Kevin in on a side of Edd he, himself missed. "Oh shut up..." Edd smirked back at him. Kevin saw him warm up to him and continued their banter. "Nah I'll keep talking..." Kevin said getting out of the car. He was about to experience first hand Edd's quick witt "Bite me..." Edd said with a bigger smirk as Kevin looked at him in even more shock.

"Watch your mouth dork or I'll take your comment to heart..." Kevin said walking with him to the apartment. "I'd like to see you try..." Edd chuckled, this was actually fun now. His sense of humor obviously shocked Kevin who took to it well. Kevin started laughing and so did Edd. "Okay... This Edd I like..." Kevin said as they got in the elevator. "Sorry you'll have to buy him dinner before he gives you more..." Edd leaned against the slow moving elevator, his fringe now in his face and his hat keeping it there. "Was that an innuendo?" Kevin was impressed of how loose Edd actually was now. "Fuck yeah..." Edd said, this was a side of him only Ed and Eddy got to see. Kevin started to laugh again. "Where was this fire earlier?" Kevin asked as the elevator door finally opened. "Downed by the fact that I was a complete and hopeless wreck..." Edd was playful in nature so finally he had someone to share it with.

"I'll say.." Kevin chuckled opening the door to his apartment. "And apparently I scream..." Edd said with another smirk. Staying with Kevin for the weekend wasn't going to be so bad. "Well since you've decided to be my babysitter now you gotta deal with me..." Edd said sitting on the couch finally comfortable there. "Babysitter?" Kevin chuckled. "Would you rather I call you daddy?" Edd asked, without the situation earlier he felt his usually smart brain finally function. "Oh fucking Lord..." Kevin said actually blushing. "I'm an atheist..." Edd just couldn't stop the comebacks, he liked doing it because it felt right.

"Can Nat hang because I am sure he'd get a kick outta ya..." Kevin asked hoping that wasn't overstepping. "If your lips stay sealed I'll gladly be your show piece..." Edd remembered Nat. Kevin called Nathan with a smile "Nat, Edd is chill... Yeah we are cool now... Now that I've hung out with him he's opened up to me a bit.." Kevin said smiling at him. " Not all the way! My legs are still closed!" Edd said, he heard a laugh through Kevin's phone. "Yeah he's actually hilarious... We're going to the metal concert in town later.. Yes that's why I called...I know! I didn't expect that either, but you gotta witness just how much this guy let loose... it'll surprise you! okay bye!"Kevin hung up and smiled.

"So our double hang out is now a three way?" Edd asked going in his bag to grab some new clothes. "Yeah you'll like Nat... he heard your comment and thought it was funny..." Kevin said sitting next to Edd. "Yeah I'm a at home comedian, I tell jokes and have no paycheck..." Edd got up and walked into the bathroom. "What you doing?" Kevin asked as Edd was about to close the door. "Changing..." Edd said shutting the door. Edd smiled at himself in the mirror. The usually sullen face was now bright with humor and some happiness.

When he got out Nathan was in the living room talking to Kevin and laughing. "There's double d!" Nathan smiled at him. "And just like the chest size I'm twice the fun..." Edd said putting away his dirty clothes. Kevin and Nathan started laughing. Edd liked it when people laughed with him instead of at him, that's where the Witt came from. "Why is he staying with you?" Nathan asked Kevin. "He just needs a break from home..." Kevin said, respecting Edd's wishes for silence.

"Extra is $20" Edd said showing Kevin he was still fine. Kevin smirked at him, Kevin just made him want to use those innuendos. "We all need an out sometimes..." Nathan said in agreement. "In is more fun..." Edd chuckled and sat next to them in the arm chair by the couch. "Kevin is my babysitter..." Edd said finally relaxed. "Babysitter?" Nathan bust out laughing . "Don't call me that..." Kevin said shaking head with a smile. "So you do prefer the other one?" Edd said with a smile remembering Kevin's blush. "Oh Christ..." Kevin said shaking his head with a blush returning. "He's not coming for you I'm afraid..." Edd laid his head back with a smile. This felt right, and he was here until Sunday.

"Do the comebacks end?" Nathan said with a smile, this was new to him too. "For most guys it's every half hour, I have multiple comebacks..." Edd was enjoying the company that wasn't work and liquor. "Who brought this humor outta ya? Because I never thought I'd hear Edd say so many sex jokes..." Nathan said with a huge grin. "I finally got out, let loose and found something I enjoy... and that's laughter..." Edd said with a bigger smile than before. "So an okay Edd is a joking sarcastic Edd?" Kevin asked him, obviously to make sure that Edd wasn't gonna fall back in the hole again. "Mostly..." Edd nodded confirming it for Kevin who he said he'd let in. "Good to know..." Kevin said with a nod.

.*concert is next chapter!*

to be continued


End file.
